MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippines is set to receive 390,000 doses of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines by the end of May, according to the Department of Health (DOH). DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire announced the donation from an unnamed country during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The DOH has secured emergency use authority from the Food and Drug Administration and is finalizing the necessary documents to receive the shipment. Vergeire explained that the search for a legal basis, due to an immunity clause and indemnification requirement from the vaccine manufacturer, had previously delayed the availability of bivalent vaccines in the country.
“We have already started with the process and we were able to get emergency use authority from the Food and Drug Administration,” said Vergeire. “We are just finalizing the documents. Hopefully, by the end of May, we will be able to receive this 390,000 doses.”
The upcoming donation will help the Philippines target both the original strain of the COVID-19 virus and Omicron subvariants. The DOH is also in discussions with the COVAX Facility for a donation of bivalent vaccines, but no final agreement has been reached yet due to a hold on the first batch of shipments.
“What has been keeping us from making the bivalent vaccines available in the country is the search for this legal basis, this requirement coming from the manufacturer for us to sign this indemnification clause and immunity from liability,” Vergeire said.
4,456 New Covid Cases
The Department of Health (DOH) reported 4,456 new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines from April 24 to 30, with an average of 637 new infections daily, which is 42 percent higher than the previous week. As of the latest COVID-19 Bulletin, 22 patients are in severe and critical condition, while no deaths were reported during the same period.
The DOH also noted that 303 out of 2,021 ICU beds for COVID patients are occupied, and 3,157 out of 17,480 non-ICU COVID beds are being used. Last Sunday, the DOH recorded 351 severe and critical COVID-19 patients seeking admission in hospitals, which is 8.0 percent of the total COVID-19 admissions in the country. – WhatALife!/Jayve
Also read: IATF Decides Against Reimposing Mandatory Face Mask Policy
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